Journalism and Audiences in the Age of Misinformation
A Field Study of University Students in Baghdad
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33282/abaa.v18i72.1302Keywords:
Trust in media, misinformation, media literacy, digital journalism, youth, university students in BaghdadAbstract
Objectives: This study aims to identify the factors influencing the trust of university students in Baghdad in local media outlets amid the growing prevalence of misinformation. It focuses particularly on the role of media transparency, fact-checking skills, and media literacy in shaping this trust.
Methodology: The study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. In the first phase, a quantitative survey was administered to a sample of 200 male and female university students. This was followed by a qualitative phase that included semi-structured interviews and news content analysis to explain the statistical findings and provide a deeper understanding of their implications.
Results: The findings revealed a positive correlation between media transparency-particularly the public acknowledgment, and correction of errors—and increased audience trust in media outlets. The results also indicated that students’ possession of factchecking and media literacy skills contributes to protecting them from misinformation and fake news. Conversely, continuous exposure to unreliable content was found to reduce trust in media sources and undermine their perceived credibility.
Conclusion: The study concluded that media institutions should adopt clear and transparent policies for correcting errors. It also emphasized the importance of integrating digital verification skills and media literacy into university curricula, as such measures can help restore trust in the media and enhance public awareness in confronting misinformation and media manipulation.
Downloads
References
Abbas, Z. L. (2009). Levels of preference and trust in Iraqi media among the Iraqi public: A field study on the media audience in Baghdad. Diyala Journal for Human Researches, 1(35), 327-350. https://djhr.uodiyala.edu.iq/index.php/DJHR2022/article/view/1653
Esiobu, C. O., Nwokeocha, I. M., Brown, G. N., & Okoye, I. N. (2025). Fake News and Public Perception of Social Media News. Edunity Kajian Ilmu Sosial dan Pendidikan, 4(9), 629-641. https://doi.org/10.57096/edunity.v4i9.435
Freitag, J., Gochee, M., Ransden, M., Nyhan, B., Roschke, K., & Gillmor, D. (2024). The Corrections Dilemma: Media Retractions Increase Belief Accuracy But Decrease Trust. Journal of Experimental Political Science, 11(1), 90-101. https://doi.org/10.1017/XPS.2023.4
Greeshma, R., Bharadwaj, G. R., Biradar, D., Girijamma, H. A., Goutham, N., & Kallas, S. P. (2024). Social Media Misinformaton. International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, 6(6), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i06.25182
Hamdan, O. A., & Al-Taqi, Y. (2023). The role of the Iraqi media in achieving digital education for Iraqi universities students: Anbar and Fallujah universities are a sample. Journal of the Iraqia University, 3(63), 632-656. https://bitly.cx/fYF9z
Hantoush, A. Y. A., & Abdolgafoor, A. H. (2025). Exposure of Iraqi youth to digital media and the Satisfaction Achieved it: A field Study. Journal of Media Studies and Researches (MSAR), 5(19), 263-282. https://msar.edu.iq/index.php/msar/article/view/199
Holtrup, S., Henke, J., Steffan, D., & Möhring, W. (2023). The Reciprocal Effects of Perceived Accuracy and Trust in News Media: A Two-Wave Online Panel Study in the Context of the 2021 German Federal Election. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 101(1), 156-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/10776990231202692
Hunt, E. A. (2023). Media literacy and digital citizenship. In B. Halpern-Felsher (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Health (First Edition) (pp. 372-384). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818872-9.00144-8
Husandani, R. A., Utari, P., & Rahmanto, A. N. (2025). Impact of social media disinformation explored in 'The Social Dilemma'. Jurnal ASPIKOM, 9(1), 89-106. https://doi.org/10.24329/aspikom.v9i1.1534
Hwang, J. y. (2025). Misinformation and public trust: Investigating the role of media literacy in combating fake news in the digital age. International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 15(1), 1263-1272. https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2025.15.1.1177
Kruger, A. (2017). The Future of News Literacy in a Connected World https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:4710597
Mahmood, M. S., & Altimeemi, M. U. M. (2025). The role of social media in shaping social awareness among university students. lark, 17(2), 28-49. https://doi.org/10.31185/lark.4262
Mishra, J. (2025). The Importance of Media Literacy in the Digital Age. International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, 7(4), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.52839
Mohammed, A. J. (2020). The use of social media by Iraqi university students and its relationship to human development. Menoufia University Faculty of Arts Journal, 31(120), 3583-3599. https://doi.org/10.21608/sjam.2020.135517
Najm, T. H. (2026). The Level of Iraqi Journalists’ Use of Artificial Intelligence Applications in News Content Creation: A Field Study. Journal of Media Studies and Researches (MSAR), 6(21), 177-200. https://msar.edu.iq/index.php/msar/article/view/226
Navarrete, A. T. (2023). Estrategias de Alfabetización Mediática en Jóvenes Universitarios ante la Desinformación Digital. International Journal of Global Research and Development, 2(2), 33-49. https://doi.org/10.64041/riidg.v2i2.11
Nazeel, B. H., & Radhi, W. F. (2025). News Framing in Iraqi Satellite Channels and the Promotion of a Culture of Integrity among the Public. ALBAHITH ALALAMI, 17(70), 33-44. https://doi.org/10.33282/abaa.v17i70.1143
Ozel, A. (2025). Media Literacy in the Digital Age-Understanding Its Importance and Impact: A Theoretical Framework. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR), 11(1), 749-752. https://doi.org/10.36713/epra19853
Quattrociocchi, W. (2017). INSIDE THE ECHO CHAMBER. Scientific American, 316(4), 60-63. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26047523
Salim, S. K., & Hasan, R. R. (2018). Competencies of the Curriculum of Digital Media Education from the Perspective of Iraqi University Professors. ALBAHITH ALALAMI, 10(40), 37-56. https://doi.org/10.33282/abaa.v10i40.44
Schiffrin, A. (2019). Credibility and Trust in Journalism. In M. Powers (Ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.794
Schnackenberg, A., & Tomlinson, E. (2012). The Role of Transparency in the Trustworthiness-Trust Relationship. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2012(1), 15203. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2012.15203abstract
Downloads
Key Dates
Received
Revised
Accepted
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Author
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows sharing the work with recognition of authorship and initial publication in ABBA journal.
How to Cite
